The Umbrella Lady

A rainy, cold morning at the beach

With my dog and I

And a woman with a dainty umbrella,

Her gaze taking up the entire beach

As if it were packed with sunbathers.

I hesitate to break her silence

And so does the dog.

He heels

Which he never does when I want him to,

Or maybe it’s her umbrella—I wait

For a hypnotic twirl.

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